Return to the Comics
by A. R. Chwa
Summary: Casey buys a comic book that was written by the winner of the Gooey Gus contest. But when the rest of the team reads it, they find it highly suspicious.
1. Chapter 1

RETURN TO THE COMICS – PART ONE

It's a sunny afternoon when Casey runs into the living room, where Grandma Jenkins is sitting on the sofa.

Casey: It finally came! The magazine with my slime monster story in it!

Grandma: Oh how wonderful. Your story was so good. No wonder it won second place.

Casey: Yeah. I still wish it had won first though.

Casey sits down to look through the magazine. She turns to her story, but then stops.

Casey: I already know _my_ story. I should read the first place one. See why it won instead of mine.

Casey sits down to read. A while later, her cousin Jamal returns from the High School of Science. He comes up behind her and sees what she's reading.

Jamal: Hey. Looks like you finally got it.

Casey nearly falls off the sofa.

Casey: Don't sneak up on me like that!

Jamal: I didn't mean to. I guess that story you're reading is pretty frightening.

Casey: It sure is. This one _deserved_ to win first place. I'm going to have to sleep with the lights on!

Jamal raises his eyebrows as Casey grins and hands him the magazine. He jumps over the couch and starts reading it while Casey goes to the kitchen. She comes back eating a peanut butter sandwich and stands right behind him.

Casey: You like it?

Jamal nearly jumps out of his skin.

Jamal: Good grief. Don't _do_ that!

Casey: (laughing) I _told_ you it was scary.

Jamal lets out his breath and shakes his head.

Jamal: Yeah…I see what you mean. Who wrote this?

Casey: Some guy from Chicago. There's an article about him before the story.

Jamal turns to the article and starts reading.

Jamal: Interesting. It says Arbie Alexander is being offered a book deal now…and he's only fourteen.

Casey: Well _yeah_. His story was _great_.

Jamal: It was. But he had to turn down a book deal. He's still in high school.

Casey: Aw. I want to read more of his stuff.

Jamal: Well…look at this. He _did_ take up an offer from Cosmic Comics.

Casey: Really? He writes comics too?

Jamal: Not really. He writes stories…but has a _partner_ that does comics. They're working together to make a comic book character named Diamond Jones. Since he has the stories written down already, it'll be his partner doing most of the work.

Casey: Wow. Is it out yet?

Jamal: Looks like it came out a couple days ago. You can check the comic book store tomorrow to see if they have it.

The next day, Casey sprints home with a new comic book in her hand. She rushes into the room, where Jamal is lounging on the couch, reading a book.

Casey: Look look! I got it!

Jamal: Wow. Let me see.

The glossy cover shows a tall man in a trench coat with a diamond stud in his ear. Behind him is a punk on a skateboard carrying a pizza, but also with a diamond stud in his ear. The title reads _The Adventures of Diamond Jones_.

Jamal: This looks _great_. Can I read it?"

Casey: (smugly) When _I'm_ done.

Jamal: Okay. But read fast.

Casey reads the comic book in a very short amount of time, mostly due to her staying up late and reading in bed with a flashlight. She finally gives it to Jamal a couple days later as he's leaving for school.

Casey: Just to warn you, Gaby wants to read it next…and then Hector…and then Alex…and then…

Jamal: (sighs) At least I'm first in line…

Jamal takes the comic book to the High School of Science. Meanwhile, Lenni is talking to Alex as she puts things in her locker at Mead High School.

Lenni: Well I'm glad things are going well with you and Tina again.

Alex: I am too. If you hook up with Tuan, we could be relatives.

Lenni: Yeah, that's _not_ going to happen.

Alex: Uh oh. What happened _this_ time?

Lenni: Alex, it's over. Tuan just can't accept the fact that I have friends who just _happen_ to be guys.

Alex: He doesn't want you to be friends with me and Jamal?

Lenni: Not you guys. He doesn't like me writing to _Rob._

Lenni slams her locker shut as Alex looks confused.

Alex: Rob? He hasn't written in six months! Hector thinks he was abducted by aliens.

Lenni: (laughs) I know right? I figured I'd send him my graduation song as a _reminder_ that we still exist and want to hear from him. I mean, Rob was the one I was thinking of when I wrote it.

Alex: Ah. But Tuan doesn't care for the idea?

Lenni: Not. A. Bit. Apparently he heard from Tina that we used to hang out a lot.

Alex: Well you _did_. Rob never wanted to go home…and was always hanging out at your place.

Lenni: That's because Rob lived on the tenth floor…and the elevator was usually out of order. He said he'd rather be at my place if anyone ever called a rally just to save a trip up and down the stairs.

Alex: Uh huh. Funny that he picked _your_ place though.

Lenni: Whatever. Anyway, I went ahead and sent him the tape…and Tuan went ballistic. So I said if he can't trust me to have friends who _happen_ to be guys…

Alex: Right. I see your point. So, have you heard back from Rob yet?

Lenni: Not yet. But I hope to soon. It was always a couple of weeks between letters before.

Meanwhile, Gaby and Tina are sitting on the steps at Hurston Middle School, reading the scary stories in the magazine they borrowed from Casey. A locker slams behind them and they both jump.

Gaby: Maybe we should be reading this stuff at home.

Tina: In the dark? With a lot of creepy noises? I don't think so.

Gaby: I guess. This guy sure knows his stuff though. Imagine the slime monster chasing you into a subway tunnel.

They both shudder and keep on reading. When the bell rings, they run to meet up with Hector and Casey.

Hector: Are you done with that? I haven't read it yet.

Gaby: It's all yours, Hector. The two of us aren't going to be able to sleep tonight.

Tina: Yeah. You might not want to read that before bed.

Hector: I'll do it anyway. Alex says I should read more often…even if it does keep me up all night.

Casey: (in a creepy voice) And it will…hee hee hee…

Hector laughs and Gaby turns to Casey.

Gaby: Is Jamal done with that comic book yet? The stores are all sold out.

Casey: You'll have to wait on that. His school doesn't let out until four.

Hector: Well Alex doesn't get out so late. I better go meet him.

Hector walks with Gaby to the bodega, reading the story on the way and tripping over the sidewalk a few times. Gaby has fun spooking him at random times and Hector is glaring at her when they got there.

Alex: (at the register) You got the scary story, huh?

Hector: Yeah. Man this guy is good. No wonder he won the contest.

Alex: (comes around the counter) Come and read some of it for me. Gaby can mind the store, right?

Gaby: (gets behind the register) Only because I'm waiting for Jamal to come by. I want to read that comic book.

The boys laugh and go to Alex's room while Gaby checks out a customer. She smiles when Jamal comes in.

Gaby: Oh _please_ tell me you're done with the book.

Jamal: Oh I'm done with it all right. (puts book on counter) I also find it highly suspicious.

Gaby: Suspicious? In what way?

Jamal: You'll see what I mean when you read it. I gotta go. Lot of homework tonight since I was reading that during all my breaks.

Gaby: Okay Jamal. See you at karate tomorrow?

Jamal: (smiles) Wouldn't miss it.

Gaby nods and starts reading the comic book, immediately noticing what Jamal was talking about.

Gaby: Smear flyers? This sounds awfully familiar…

Gaby is finishing the comic book as Hector comes in, getting ready to go home. Alex follows him and Gaby holds up the book.

Gaby: Alex…you have _got_ to read this.

Hector: But Alex is after _me_.

Gaby: (waves the book) You can read it together. But I agree with Jamal. There's something fishy about this book.

Alex: (taking the book) Fishy? What's so fishy about a pizza delivery boy who's also a private eye?

Gaby: (nods to the book) You'll know what I mean when you read that.

Two days later, Alex passes the book to Lenni at her locker, also giving her a glare.

Alex: I'm with Jamal and Gaby on this one. There's something funny about this book.

Lenni: (looking at the book) Funny? Isn't a comic book supposed to be funny?

Alex: Not in that sense. It's funny because every story in that comic book sounds just like one of our old cases.

Lenni's eyes grow wide as Alex nods.

Alex: Every. Single. One.


	2. Chapter 2

RETURN TO THE COMICS – PART TWO

Lenni is reading the comic book at the counter of her loft. She shakes her head and slams it shut. Then she goes to her fridge to spell out _RALLY L_ with the magnets. Jamal is walking down the street when he sees the message and grins.

Jamal: Ah. I take it Lenni read the book.

Back at Lenni's loft, Jamal is the last team member to arrive.

Jamal: You found that comic book suspicious too huh?

Lenni: I most certainly did.

Alex: So did I.

Tina: I haven't read it yet. But from what Gaby told me, it sounds like whoever wrote it, knew about our past cases.

Gaby: He _had_ to know them. There's a story in there about a girl being accused of stealing a prop from a television show, just because she's the #1 fan.

Jamal: And also a story about barrels of toxic waste making people sick.

Alex: And about a guy running for mayor with a smear campaign against him.

They all exchange significant looks, although Casey rather innocently looks at Hector.

Casey: What are they talking about?

Hector: Old cases that they did before we joined the team. All the stories in your book sound just like stuff the team did.

Casey: _All_ of them?

Alex: _All_ of them. Take the one about the guy running for mayor. It sounds an awful lot like when I was running for school president. There was a smear campaign against me too and we had to find out who was behind it.

Lenni: And the one about the toxic waste. They catch the guy destroying evidence on video…and then expose him on T.V. That's exactly what we did with Miller.

Gaby: And I was accused of stealing a prop from a T.V. show. I claimed to be the #1 fan, but the culprit was really the twins who _created_ the T.V. show.

Jamal: And this last one…a thief runs in front of a truck causing an accident?

Lenni: All too familiar. Especially when all these guys who are supposed to be friends start fighting.

Tina nods and takes a yellow notebook out of her bag.

Tina: I'm staring a casebook. We _have_ to find out who this guy is.

Tina starts writing as Lenni paces the room.

Lenni: Okay. What do we know about this guy?

Casey: Well…his name is Arbie Alexander…and he's from Chicago.

Alex: But he must have lived in Brooklyn at some point. How else would he know about _our_ cases?

Jamal: Yeah. We also know…that he won the Gooey Gus contest. Do you have that magazine, Casey?

Lenni: What magazine?

Jamal: The Gooey Gus magazine. They interviewed Arbie Alexander…and also printed his winning story. That'll have more clues about who he is.

Casey: I let another one of my friends borrow it though. I'll have to get it back tomorrow.

Lenni nods as she looked at the front page of the book.

Lenni: Story by Arbie Alexander. Illustrations by Manny Gite. Manny Gite?

Hector: What? I thought we were trying to figure out who Arbie Alexander was.

Lenni: We are. It's just…I know that name…somehow.

Jamal: It sounds familiar to me too. Where did…?

The phone rings. Lenni goes to answer it and nods.

Lenni: Yes Mr. Fernandez. (hangs up phone) Sorry Alex and Gaby, but you're needed in the store.

Jamal: We'd better go too, Casey.

Casey: Aw man.

Lenni: We'll meet at your place tomorrow. We have _got_ to get to the bottom of this.

The others leave and Lenni sits at her keyboard. She smiles as she turns it on.

Lenni: Seeing as we have a mystery…involving a comic book…

Lenni plays the opening bars of _The Hoodman Rap._

Lenni: (sings) Hoodman…just a guy from a comic book…

Lenni sings the song and then turns off the synthesizer. She then pulls out a pile of pictures and finds the one from when they won the Hoodman contest.

Lenni: Lenni the Wise and her Friends of Five.

Lenni cocks her head and notices the drawing behind the picture she's holding. It also features the whole team, but with a warning to quit the contest. She sees the signature on the drawing and gives a gasp.

Lenni: Manny Gite! That's where I remember him from!


	3. Chapter 3

RETURN TO THE COMICS – PART THREE

The next day, Jamal sits with Casey on the sofa of their house, looking at the magazine. Jamal then lets in the rest of the team as Casey reads part of the interview to them.

Casey: It says here that Arbie Alexander is fourteen years old…and lives in Chicago.

Alex: Hey. That means Arbie…is the same age we are.

Lenni: Yeah. He could have gone to school with us…and that's how he knows about our cases.

Gaby: But…he's in Chicago.

Jamal: He is _now_. But these cases happened what…two years ago? He may have lived here _then_."

Tina nods and writes the information in the casebook as Casey looks at the article again.

Casey: Look at this. Arbie said he moved around a lot…as his dad was in the air force. His story included all the places where he's lived before.

Alex: Hey yeah. He had the slime monster taking over the whole country. Florida…Oklahoma…Texas…"

Hector: And the whole world! Japan…Germany…Australia…

Tina: But he was finally defeated in New York! So Arbie _did_ live here!

Tina writes again as Casey continues to read.

Casey: He was also offered a book deal after winning the contest, but only agreed to a comic book contract for now, as he needs to finish high school. His stories for the comic books are already finished and he has a partner to do the drawing.

Lenni: And I found out something about his _partner_.

She takes out the drawing and puts it on the coffee table.

Jamal: (makes a face) What'd you bring this old thing for?

Lenni: Manny Gite, remember? Stoopdude?

Alex: Sure we remember…but…

Jamal: Wait a minute! Manny Gite drew the panels for the comic book!

Gaby: So…Stoopdude is Arbie Alexander's partner?

Lenni: Yes. And Manny Gite lived here…so maybe _he_ told Arbie about our cases.

Tina: Well…maybe. But he was only involved in the case with the Hoodman contest.

Jamal: And that one isn't even in the comic book.

Gaby: Yeah. I think it's more likely that Arbie _also_ lived here…found out about our cases…and also met Manny Gite!

Lenni: Yeah. Manny Gite drew that fake panel during the contest…and it was really good. It almost had me fooled…but Rob figured out…it…was…fake…

Lenni's eyes grow wide as dinner plates. The others look at each other and then back at her.

Gaby: What is it?

Lenni: (softly) Of course. It's obvious.

Alex: What is?

Lenni starts pacing slowly.

Lenni: Who did we know…that had a father in the air force? And also lived here…exactly two years ago?

Jamal: And…was in the Hoodman contest?

Tina: And met Manny Gite?

Gaby: (gasps) And was a _writer!_

Alex: Wait a minute. You mean Arbie Alexander is…?

Lenni: Arbie? (looks at the drawing) ARBIE!

Hector: Huh?

Lenni points to the signature on the drawing.

Lenni: Remember this signature? It's a rebus of Manny Gite's name.

Alex: Yeah…go on…

Lenni: Well what if…Arbie…is doing the same thing?

Lenni puts the drawing on the table and takes out her pen. She writes _ARBIE_ and then crosses out the letters _A, I, and E_ leaving behind _R _and _B. _

Jamal: (snapping his fingers) You're right! He used his initials to make a new name!

Casey: Who did?

Jamal runs to the desk where he grabs a yearbook from Hurston Middle School, 1992-1993. He turns to the page and points to a name.

Jamal: Robert…Alexander…Baker.


	4. Chapter 4

RETURN TO THE COMICS – PART FOUR

The team laughs and cheers, although Casey is still looking at the yearbook.

Casey: Who is he?

Lenni: Rob was on the team when we were in seventh grade. He moved here when his dad retired from _the air force_.

Alex: And he wrote _stories_! Whole reason we met him is because he would type them up in the computer room…and he dropped one of his papers.

Gaby: He _also_ helped Lenni win the Hoodman contest. That's him right there.

Casey: But…where's the picture in the yearbook? The space is blank.

Alex: Rob transferred in the middle of the year. He didn't get a school picture.

Jamal: (turning the pages in the yearbook) But they do have his picture (points to another page) _here_. Rob wrote for the school paper.

Hector: Hey cool. That's the shirt he gave me when he left.

Lenni: Oh yeah. You wore it in my music video. When I sent it to Rob, he was mad that the shirt got to be in the video and not _him_.

Alex: Lenni, your video would have gotten an _R_ rating if you had _Rob_ dancing in it.

The other laugh as Lenni shakes her head and pulls out an old mask, which has a rejection letter on the back of it.

Lenni: I'm wondering if Manny Gite still lives here.

Tina: Even if he doesn't, his aunt probably still does…and would know how to contact him.

Jamal: And know how to contact his _partner_.

Lenni and Jamal go to visit Wilhelmina Burns, who lets them into her apartment.

Wilhelmina: Haven't we met before?

Jamal: Yes ma'am. I uh…came here when Manny was cheating in the comic book contest a couple years ago. But I recognized his signature in this new one that just came out.

Lenni: It looks like he's doing well.

Wilhelmina: (proudly) He is. Manny was so happy when he finally got into the comics. His partner is working on a new story that will feature Stoopdude as the villain.

Jamal: Hey cool. He'll finally get Stoopdude in a comic book.

Lenni: His partner must be a great guy.

Wilhelmina: He's a fine young man. Manny met him at a comic convention in Chicago last March. Seems Arbie was part of that Hoodman contest too…and recognized Manny since he was dressed up like _Stoopdude_ again.

Jamal: And they uh…joined forces?

Wilhelmina: Of course. See…Arbie told Manny that he had good stories for the comics…but didn't draw. But he knew Manny could because of that contest you were in.

Lenni: Right. Manny made a fake panel…and the drawings were actually really good. I guess Arbie remembered that.

Wilhelmina: Exactly. They met over lunch and decided to put their ideas together. Then Manny did the legwork of pitching them to different companies since Arbie's still in school.

Lenni: And that's how they got their comic book published?

Wilhelmina: (sighs) No. They were rejected nearly everywhere. Manny finally found a writing contest for some…slime monster thing? Since it was for kids, Arbie was still young enough to enter.

Jamal: Ah. My cousin was in that contest. She got second place…and Arbie Alexander won first.

Lenni: And his story was terrifying. My goosebumps had goosebumps.

Wilhelmina: (proudly) Well it was that story that finally got his work noticed. He started getting offers, but asked for something involving comics so Manny could do most of the work while he was going to school. It's worked out wonderfully for them.

Jamal: It got us to notice it too. My cousin bought the comic book because Arbie won that contest. Then we saw Manny was the artist who drew it.

Wilhelmina: How wonderful! Oh Manny would love to hear about this.

Lenni: You don't have a phone number for them, do you? We'd love to talk to them in person.

Wilhelmina: Well I only have Manny's. Arbie's still underage and doesn't want his information given out.

Jamal: But we'd still _love_ to talk to Manny…and congratulate him. We really liked that comic book.

Wilhelmina smiles and writes down a phone number, giving it to Jamal. He and Lenni get up and thank her. As soon as they leave the apartment, Lenni calls a rally. They get back to Lenni's place and tell the others about Wilhelmina Burns.

Jamal: I'm still pretty sure it's _Rob_ that's Arbie Alexander. He would have recognized Stoopdude in a minute.

Alex: It does make sense. But how'd he get to Chicago?

Gaby: Rob moved all over the place. I guess he moved again.

Lenni: (dials the phone) Well I have an idea of how to make sure. Dad said I can make a long-distance call so long as we don't talk too long.

In a small apartment in Chicago, a teenager with his back turned is typing away at a computer. He's wearing a bandana, t-shirt, army pants and sneakers and has a skateboard propped up on his chair. A black man wearing an orange sweater is applying ink to a drawing at another table. The phone rings and he answers it.

Black Man: Manny speaking…uh huh…a big fan from Brooklyn? Oh you did? Yeah, I remember…Lenni the Wise and her Friends of Five. They put you in the Hoodman comic book.

Manny turns around, as the teenager has suddenly fallen out of his chair. Manny covers the phone and looks down at him.

Manny: What's up with choo?

Teenager: (holding a hand out) Gimme the phone.

Manny: (into the phone) Hey Lenni. Seems my man Arbie wants to talk to you…once he gets up off the floor. Oh nothing, he just fell over for some reason.

Manny sniggers as the teenager gets up and snatches the phone.

Teenager: (into the phone) All right Lenni, spill it. (turns around to reveal that it's Rob) How in the blazes did you guys find me?


	5. Chapter 5

RETURN TO THE COMICS – PART FIVE

Lenni grins and turns on the speakerphone as the rest of the team gathers around.

Lenni: Oh come on Rob. We're the best detectives in all of Brooklyn. Do you honestly think the team _wasn't_ going to find you?

Alex: Yeah admit it. It's you, isn't it?

Rob: Good grief. Is that you Alex?

Alex: The one and only. Seems you dropped a confession again, _Baker._

Jamal: More like part of story that was loaded with clues.

Rob: Jamal! You're there too?

Jamal: The whole team is here, Pink Guy.

Tina: Yeah. Now how about you tell us how you wound up in Chicago.

Gaby: And it had better not be from getting stuck in a subway tunnel.

Rob: Don't be ridiculous. Chicago has the L-train, not a subway. My brother uses it to get to work.

Alex: You have a brother?

Hector: Hey yeah. Your brother Jason. You wrote about him going to college in Chicago.

Rob: Yeah, he finally graduated. Got a job with social services working with deaf families.

Lenni: And you're staying with _him_ now?

Rob: Of course. We got this apartment the size of a postage stamp. Jason makes me sleep on the floor.

Tina: Then what'd you move there for?

Rob: To get out of Australia, of course. Their school year starts in January, but I had way too many transcripts from everywhere I've ever lived…and they couldn't figure out what grade to put me in.

Jamal: Oh man. So your parents let you move back?

Rob: Well going to school here only puts me _one_ year behind. If I stayed there it would've been _three_.

The team laughs and coughs as Lenni leans up to the speakerphone.

Lenni: Will you be able to get caught up in school then?

Rob: I worked out a deal with some of my teachers. If I write a good enough research paper, I get credit for a whole class.

Gaby: Sounds like a good deal for _you_. You're a real pro.

Rob: Thank you. I take it you've been reading my work.

Lenni: Well how _else_ would we have tracked you down?

Jamal: Yeah. We entered that slime monster contest too.

Casey: Your story was really good.

Rob: Now _that_ must be Casey. Yours was good too. I liked that uh…little _ghost_ you threw in there.

Casey giggles as Lenni checks her watch.

Lenni: Time's almost up.

Rob: Well listen. We're gonna be in New York this summer.

Jamal: You are?

Rob: Yep. Cosmic Comics wants to do another contest, only this time to promote _our_ comic book.

Lenni: Awesome! Another contest!

Rob: Hold it, Lenni. You won the last one, remember?

Lenni: Awwwww.

Rob: Don't gripe to me about it. Just that when we were talking to Mr. Cameron, I mentioned that a friend of mine won last time…and he told me you wouldn't be allowed to enter this one.

Gaby: But what about the rest of us?

Rob: Lenni the Wise and her friends of _Five_. All of you are listed as previous winners. Sorry.

Hector: But…I wasn't in this contest.

Casey: And neither was I.

Rob: Exactly why I'm letting you know about it. But I can't say much else as I don't want you disqualified either. And no getting extra _help_ that the other kids don't have, you got that?

Hector and Casey look at each other and sigh.

Casey: Okay.

Hector: (to Lenni) You didn't have extra help?

Lenni: Not for the contest. Ghostwriter only helped us find Manny Gite since he was cheating.

Rob: Yeah, but he's cool now. And knows a lot more about how this stuff works than I do. I'm just a kid.

Casey: A kid with his own comic book!

Rob: Not to mention a curfew. I gotta get home before Jason locks me out. Bye everybody!

The team says goodbye to Rob and hangs up the phone. Hector and Casey look at each other and nod.

Hector: A comic book contest. Won't that be cool?

Casey: Yeah. I wonder what we'll have to do?

Lenni: It might be a scavenger hunt like ours was.

Alex: Or it might be totally different.

Tina: And is the prize the same? Or will you win something else?

Gaby: Oh man. Rob didn't say.

Jamal: But however it goes, the cool thing is that Rob and Manny will actually be here.

Lenni sighs and looks at the old picture.

Lenni: Rob. We'll actually get to see _Rob._

Several months later, Casey and Hector arrive at Fort Greene Park with a list of rules for the new contest. The rest of the team is there, but sits to the side to watch. A whole crowd of young men is milling about, a great many in trench coats and hats and quite a few wearing street clothes and going around on skateboards.

Hector: Looks like all we have to do, is find the _real_ Diamond Jones in the crowd.

Casey: And we have this riddle to help us do it.

Hector: Well _you_ should be able to do _that._

Casey: I sure hope so. (reads the riddle)

_I am one with my creator._

_I'm an ordinary guy._

_ No one knows the skateboard kid_

_ Has also been a spy._

_Seek me out among the many._

_ Look with all your might._

_ A real fan can spot the details_

_That are hidden in plain sight._

_And when you think you see me_

_Catch me if you can._

_The one who finds the secret_

_Will be my right-hand man._

Hector: All right. So…what does it mean?

Casey: Easy. This first line…_I'm one with my creator_…means that your friend Rob is the guy we need to find.

Hector: Well that doesn't help. I only met Rob once…and that was _ages_ ago. And you never met him at all.

Casey: But that's good. We might be disqualified if we _had_ met him before. Now let me see.

Casey points to the middle of the riddle.

Casey: I think _this_ is the key. _A real fan can spot the details_. There's some detail that will give away which one is him.

Hector nods and looks at the cover of the comic book.

Hector: Well…maybe only _one_ of these guys…is wearing the earring. That's a detail.

Casey nods and looks around at the different men.

Casey: No good. Several of them are wearing it. What else?

Hector: Hmmm. No other details are popping out…unless…

Hector looks from the man in the trench coat to the kid behind him on the skateboard.

Hector: What if…_Hidden in plain sight_…means he's not the guy in the trench coat?

Casey: Huh?

Hector: The kid on the skateboard. What if _he's_ the one we need to spot?

Casey: Hey yeah. D.J. is the secret identity of Diamond Jones!

Hector: And D.J. has a lot more details to look for. He wears an orange bandana on the cover…has the earring…his watch is upside down…

Casey: And look. He wears a _Ghostwriter pen_!

Hector: Oh wow! I never noticed that!

Casey: _A real fan can spot the details_. We need to find the guy on the skateboard with _all_ of these details.

They go through the crowd looking at different guys on the skateboards.

Hector: Let's see…wrong color bandana…no pen on that one…no earring…

Casey: Hold on. What about him?

Casey points out one guy, who seems younger than the others, but has on an orange bandana, a pen around his neck, a diamond stud in his ear, and an upside-down watch.

Hector: But…he seems too young to be D.J.

Casey: But it says _I'm one with my creator_. The creator is only fourteen years old.

Hector: That's right! It's gotta be…

The guy on the skateboard looks over at them and gives a smile.

Hector: HIM!


	6. Chapter 6

RETURN TO THE COMICS – PART SIX

The guy grins and takes off on the skateboard. Hector gasps as Casey hits him with her papers.

Casey: We have to catch him!

They both take off after the guy, who weaves in and out of the others on the skateboard. Hector groans but Casey grabs his hand.

Casey: Keep after him. I'll cut him off.

Hector nods and keeps after the guy, while Casey goes around the crowd to the other side. She hides behind a large man in a trench coat until Hector chases the guy toward him. She then jumps out and grabs him around the waist.

Casey: Gotcha!

Guy: Woah. (jumps off the board) Where'd you come from?

Hector: (running up) Did we win?

The guy grins and kicks the skateboard up to his hand as a young black woman comes over with a megaphone.

Woman: You're attention please! It seems we have a winner!

Hector and Casey cheer and jump in the air as everyone applauds.

Woman: Ladies and Gentleman. The creators of Diamond Jones…Arbie Alexander and Manny Gites!

A black man comes out and waves to the crowd and also shakes hands with the guy on the skateboard.

Woman: And the president of Cosmic Comics…Mister Kyle Cameron!

A man in a suit appears and also takes the megaphone.

Mr. Cameron: And the moment we've all been waiting for. The one…the only…Diamond Jones!

Hector and Casey gasp, as the guy has now donned a trench coat and hat over his other clothes. He then turns to Hector and Casey with a trophy.

Diamond Jones: Casey and Hector…on behalf of Cosmic Comics…I present you with this trophy. And let it be known far and wide…that you two will be joining me in our next adventure…as my official right-hand man…and woman.

Hector: All right!

Casey: Awesome!

Mr. Cameron: Picture!

Hector and Casey pose for a picture with Diamond Jones. Later at Lenni's loft, they admire a poster, which has them in trench coats and hats along with Diamond Jones. In the background, Casey is a school girl with a riddle book and Hector is bouncing a handball. The rest of the team is sitting on the sofa and Lenni is looking at her watch.

Alex: How do you know he'll show?

Lenni: He'll be here. Trust me.

There's a knock on the door and Lenni runs over to open it. Rob is standing there and gives a smile.

Rob: Hi.

Lenni: Hi. Come on in.

Rob: (walking in) So what's this _hot_ new song of yours that I just had to hear?

Lenni: I'll get to that. But first…I need you to do something for me.

Rob: (looks around) Well this can't be another initiation. Everybody's right here.

Jamal: It isn't. Lenni's wanting something _else_.

Rob: Like what?

Hector: She wants to be in the comic book too.

Rob raises his eyebrows as Lenni crosses her arms.

Lenni: Well it isn't fair that _you_ two get to be in it and we _don't_. We're the one's that actually knew Rob when he lived here.

Rob: You honestly think I'm going to leave you guys out of it?

Lenni gasps as the others get up.

Alex: You're doing one with us?

Rob: Of course I am. Just had to clear it with Mr. Cameron first since he owns the rights.

Lenni: You mean…we'll be Lenni the Wise and her Friends of Five again?

Rob: Friends of _Four_. Number Five mysteriously disappeared for some reason…and the others set out to find him.

Gaby: (crosses her arms) Yeah. Seems he went to Chicago.

Tina: Or is he in Australia?

Rob: You'll have to read it to find out. But I will tell you that it's _those_ two who help Lenni figure out that Number Five has taken on a new identity.

Rob waves his hand at Casey and Hector, who do the Ghostwriter handshake.

Hector: All right!

Casey: I'm excited to read this one.

Rob: Good. Now how about this song? Is it another rap?

Lenni: Oh no. This is a graduation song I wrote last year...and I was thinking of _you_ when I wrote it. I sent you a tape of it but never heard back.

Rob: (sighs) To Australia?

Lenni: (frowns) Yes.

Rob: (shakes head) That was my fault then. Mom and Dad moved to a smaller house after I moved out…and I didn't send you guys my new address since I was too busy getting this comic book done.

Lenni: (shakes her head) Well at least you can hear it _now_.

Lenni sings _Love of Friends _and the team dances to it. They applaud when it's done and Rob nods and looks at her.

Rob: Thinking of me huh?

Lenni: (peers at him) Well yeah. Just because you moved away doesn't mean we _forgot_ about you…and there was no reason for you to just disappear like that.

Rob: (rubs his chin) Should put that in the story.

Alex: You should. Lenni broke up with her boyfriend over that.

Tina: Alex!

Rob: (does a double-take) Boyfriend? What boyfriend?

Lenni sighs.

Lenni: I went to prom with Tina's brother…and he helped me play the song. But he got all mad that I was going to send a tape of it to you.

Lenni blushes as Rob raises his eyebrows.

Gaby: (giggles) He could put _that_ in the story too.

Rob: I'd need permission from this guy to do that…and somehow I don't think he'd go for it.

Lenni: (clears throat) Well I think he has _plenty_ to put in the next story…what with Lenni the Wise tracking him down and everything.

Rob: Although Manny keeps saying I need to add something else.

Jamal: What's that?

Rob: (peers at Lenni) He thinks Diamond Jones should have a love interest.

Lenni gives a start as the rest of the team looks at each other and Rob crosses his arms.

Rob: Pity I don't have much experience with that.

Casey: (innocently) You don't?

Rob: Shoot no. I moved around too much to even have _friends_, let alone a girlfriend.

Lenni: You had friends _here_.

Rob: (peers at her) I had _both_ here. Just moved _again_ before I could do anything about it.

The team looks at each other as there's a heavy silence. Lenni finally looks at Rob and also crosses her arms.

Lenni: Well Lenni the Wise doesn't read _minds_ either.

Rob: (gives a grin) A fairly good point. I'll have to include that too.

Gaby: Oooh. So there _will_ be a love interest in the story.

Rob: (still looking at Lenni) We'll see how it plays out. Hard to write about something you haven't done yourself.

Lenni raises an eyebrow as Rob checks his watch and sighs.

Rob: But for now, I gotta go. We got an eight o'clock train back to Chicago.

Tina: Already?

Alex: You just got here!

Rob: (spreads arms) Just be glad it's not a flight to Australia. (Waves) Later guys!

They all wave as Rob leaves and Lenni looks at her watch.

Lenni: He said eight o'clock, right?

Later that evening, Rob is wearing a hat and trench coat and is about to get on a train when he spots Lenni. He pauses at the door as she walks over to him, giving him a sly look.

Rob: Now what are you doing here?

Lenni: Lenni the Wise needs to know when Diamond Jones is going to be back in town.

Rob: (sighs) Well he would like to know that too. But predicting the future isn't one of his skills.

Lenni: (crosses arms) Maybe not. But surely _letter writing_ is.

Rob raises an eyebrow and gives a nod.

Rob: Indeed it is. But see…he's more inclined to write…if he gets a parting gift.

Rob gives a sly grin as Lenni gapes at him.

Lenni: (glares) Oh you are a sneaky devil, aren't you?

Rob: (grins back) I can be. Now…is Lenni the Wise giving Diamond Jones a _reason _to keep in touch? Or is he going to disappear into the night like Friend Number Five?

Lenni peers at him before she smiles and draws closer to him. Rob smiles and puts his arm around her as she puts one hand behind his head. They finally lean in and kiss each other, just as the whistle is blowing on the train. They carry on a moment longer before Rob finally pulls away and runs to jump on the train. He leans out the door and waves his hat as Lenni gives a smile.

Lenni: Until we meet again…Diamond Jones.


End file.
